Department of Health and Human Services

Department of Health and Human ServicesNew and enhanced information systems can assist State administrators in preventing, identifying and recouping improper payments in their subsidized child care programs. Using these information systems can help support many of the processes involved in the administration of subsidized child care programs, including intake, eligibility determination, case management, provider management and payment, and reporting (Child Care Bureau, 2007). Using automated systems help Department of Health and Human Service workers perform their jobs more efficiently and can improve the program by assisting in the program rules to prevent and identify improper payments. Within the Department of Health and Human Services the Improper Payments Act of 2002 identifies and prevents improper payments in all Federal programs and is used to measure and report their progress. Programs include the subsidized child care program that is implemented by the States using funds from the Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) (CCB, 2007). In order for the reduction of the improper payments to be subsidized for child care programs the Child Care Bureau (CCB) initiated several projects to understand the States’ efforts and to assist with addressing the improper payments. Through an ongoing investigation the CCB concluded that more information was needed on solutions that could assist in the prevention or identification of improper payments and guidance about information technology investment approaches and procurement practices. (CCB, 2007).

According to the CCB a few solutions that challenge the improper payments include screening tools, eligibility automation, and data matching, electronic activity tracking and reporting. The solutions address these challenges of preventing and identifying improper payments by •...